Protect Your Home From Sudden Black Outs With Emergency Lights

Only when we face the actual event of a blackout or power outage do we really pay very much attention just how much our lives are dependent upon electric power. No matter what time of year that power is lost in a home, it can be incredibly uncomfortable and sometimes even dangerous for the residents of the house to suddenly be left in the dark.

Digging to find a flashlight or emergency lantern can be a dangerous proposition if you are in pitch dark. Keeping children, the elderly, and the entire family safe and secure during a power outage is of primary importance.

One way to solve this important safety concern is by the use of LED and fluorescent emergency lights that are battery operated. Fluorescent emergency lights for the home have the same kind of technology that many businesses and public buildings have as a requirement. Putting a similar system in place in your home can work for you. Lights can be mounted higher on the wall at just about ceiling height, or closer to the floor.

How these lights work

You can either hard wire these lights into your existing home power grid to sense when power is lost, or they can be placed into an outlet to charge and the light will come on whenever they are needed. These emergency lights are able to detect when power goes out. When the current is not present, the light will sense this and send out a wireless signal to the other remaining lights within a house to stairways, hallways, exits and traffic areas well lit and keep the people inside safe until power is restored. These types of lights come in two different types, AC/ Emergency and AC only lights. Both can have a battery backup to operate as needed and will run for approximately 90 minutes to 2 hours.

Prices for these lights can range from around $60 for a basic system on up to larger, more integrated systems that tie in to a home generator system that can cost several thousand dollars, depending the number of light fixtures you need for your space and the length of time available for battery backup.

Keep your family safe in the event of a storm or other emergency. Be sure to check the expected battery life of these units and regularly check their operation once a month or once every two months for any signs of wear or corrosion or to determine if internal batteries need to be replaced.